How do I go about recruiting someone?
Find and retaining talented people is one of if not the most important parts of leading an organization.
Understand the Role
Before rushing to the nearest job board to post a position, it is wise to first give a long, hard look at the position. Is there a job description for it and if there is, is it current. Being faced with a vacancy, despite the disruption it causes, presents an opportunity to look at whether the duties of the position, not the person who was in it, are still accurate and in keeping with the goals, strategy and needs of the organization. Perhaps the position could benefit from reporting to a different person or position in the organization? Perhaps the person vacating the position performed key duties because that individual had unique skills that are unlikely to be found in a future candidate? Maybe the labour market has adjusted and the compensation needs to be examined? Or perhaps the overall operating environment changed such an extent that the duties and qualifications are not longer aligned with the organization. If someone if exiting the position, it is also important to conduct an exit interview to assess factors that may have led to the employee’s decision to leave or feedback they may have regarding the nature of the position.
Plan
The next step is to plan your recruitment strategy and budget. Do you have resources to bring in support from the outside? Even if you don’t , can you afford not to? Without a robust HR department, recruiting talent often falls to overburdened hiring managers who have neither the time nor the expertise to source employees. Deciding which pieces your organization can manage internally, what you may need help with and what you are willing to spend are critical to success. Although the recruitment tasks may appear straightforward at the outset, the time and complexity of advertising, candidate screening, communications, interview scheduling (and rescheduling), rating guide preparations, negotiations, and offer letters can quickly add up. Thinking through these things, and finding an approach that will work for your organization before you’re too deep into the process, will help ensure things unfold smoothly and that the first impressions candidates have of you as an employer are positive ones. Many specialized recruiters will charge a percentage of the successful candidates yearly salary (not resolveHR). This approach typically involves “head hunting,” where recruiters actively contact prospective candidates in an attempt to secure the candidate’s interest. While sometimes effective, depending on the market, attempts at poaching can also have deleterious effects, especially if the candidate has signed a non-compete or their hiring results in strained relationships with other partners of the organization. On the other hand, recruiting assistance, where outside expertise is sought to help with all the tasks associated with managing the recruiting process, may be the preferable option. This model is often much more affordable and scalable to the particular needs of your organization
Advertise and Work Networks
This is stage where budget becomes crucial. How much time and cost are you willing to bear to advertise far and wide? The top job posting and career social networking sites charge fees to advertise positions and depending on how much exposure the position has, costs, especially for cost-conscious organizations are not significant. If the position is a highly specialized with few likely candidates, advertisement in trade publications or industry-specific networks could be good value. Where and for how long the position is advertised are often judgement calls based on the planning you (hopefully) did earlier. In addition to the advertising of the job, working social media to your advantage is key to making “some noise” about the position and the fact that you are hiring. As well as social media networks, informal networks in many markets and industries can be used to spread information about positions. You may be surprised how few degrees of separation are between you and the ideal candidate!
At resolveHR we have years of experience recruiting for positions at all levels of an organization and across many different industries. If you need recruiting assistance that’s flexible, won’t poach from your partners and treats you like a collaborator, get it touch–we’ll help you every step of the way.